Peacebuilding cannot be left to security institutions alone. It must begin within communities, where traditional leaders, families and local institutions often stand at the frontline of emerging tensions.
That message took centre stage today as the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) opened the third edition of the Teshie Homowo School, bringing together traditional leaders, government representatives, youth and other stakeholders to examine how traditional authority can contribute to peace, unity and community development.
Held under the theme, “Give Peace a Chance – The Evolving Role of Traditional Leadership in Modern Governance,” the two-day programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of traditional authorities to respond to contemporary challenges through dialogue, conflict prevention, social cohesion and community-based peacebuilding.
The School comes at a time when traditional institutions are increasingly being called upon to navigate complex community challenges, from chieftaincy and land disputes to youth unemployment, farmer-herder tensions and the social impact of illegal mining.
Delivering the welcome remarks on behalf of the Commandant of KAIPTC, the Deputy Director of Training, Wing Commander Christian Eshun (Rtd), stressed that sustainable peace is built every day within communities.
«“Peace is not sustained by security institutions alone. It is built every day within our communities, our families, our institutions, and our traditional authorities.”»
He noted that many of the challenges confronting communities are interconnected and, when left unresolved, can deepen tensions and threaten community stability. He therefore called for stronger social cohesion, dialogue and community-based approaches to peacebuilding.
For the Paramount Chief of Teshie and President of the Teshie Traditional Council, Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, the value of the Homowo School is already being demonstrated beyond the classroom.
He pointed to lessons from previous editions which, he said, contributed to the successful and peaceful celebration of this year’s Homowo Festival without chaos, while expressing appreciation to KAIPTC for its continued support.
His remarks underscored an important dimension of the initiative: peace education is not merely theoretical. When traditional leaders are equipped with practical knowledge and mechanisms for dialogue and conflict prevention, those lessons can influence how communities manage real situations.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, Mr. Baafi Nsiah also called for stronger traditional institutions and peaceful mechanisms for resolving disputes.
He emphasised the connection between peace, justice and development, noting that “development thrives where there is peace, and peace is sustained where there is justice, dialogue, and mutual respect.”
The programme also places particular emphasis on the next generation. Participants are being encouraged to bridge traditional knowledge with modern approaches to conflict resolution, while young people are urged to understand and value their heritage as they engage with contemporary methods of managing disputes.
The third Teshie Homowo School therefore represents more than an annual engagement. It reflects a broader peacebuilding approach in which traditional authority, community knowledge and modern conflict-resolution practice converge to strengthen local resilience.
For Teshie, the message is clear: giving peace a chance begins long before conflict reaches the streets. It begins with dialogue, trusted leadership, mutual respect and communities equipped to address tensions before they become crises.